How to nail a three-pointer

What is a three-pointer?

A three-pointer is a basket scored from outside the D – the furthest line away from the hoop on a basketball court. Shooting a basket on or beyond that D-line gives you three points in a match.

Feel it

Get the muscle memory going. When you shoot you get to know what it feels like to do a good and bad shot. Work out what you’re not doing quite right. For example, are you not following through or bending your legs enough?

Give it some BEEF

The way I learnt was BEEF – Balance, Eyes, Elbow, Follow through. Find your balance, your eyes should be looking at the basket, and your elbow pointing towards the basket, and then follow through in one movement.

Believe in yourself

Don’t think about missing; have a lot of confidence in your shot.

All one movement

It should all be one continued movement, use your knees to push up and extend through on the shot. A good three-pointer will have a nice flow to it.

Never give up

Even if you are missing when you start trying to shoot three-pointers, keep trying. If you’re a good shooter, with practice you’ll starting hitting. Just keep shooting, muscle memory will kick in and help you out.

Expert

Name: Daniel Cole

Job: Military Training Instructor

Unit: 8 Trg Bn REME

Rank: Corporal

Basketball position: Small-forward

Biog: Since he was a boy, Daniel wanted to be in the Army. He played basketball for Redditch aged 14, then the Worcester Wolves. He joined the Army at 17 and carried on playing. There’s an annual competition every April and in this year’s he was captain.